G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

[BlueBlood]

Congrats to Ashland on their Presidents Cup win. It was a tight one at the top. I know some message board posters love to poo-poo all-sports rankings/awards (the PSAC even has a thread titled "The Dixon Trophy Is Still Bogus"), but I've always been a fan. I have total respect for athletic departments that strive for and achieve excellence across-the-board. Congrats Eagles!

[unc4life]

If your a GMAC fan you have to feel really good about where the league is at right now. Not only are the GMAC teams doing a good job of competing in the region but they are also doing well at the national level. With Ashland Womens Basketball winning a Title this year, Findlays women's golf winning a National Title last year. Teams like Lake Eries men's soccer getting to the Final 4 this past season. Along with countless other individuals who have competed at the National level.

My only hope is that the GMAC schools continue to raise money to keep upgrading faculties. The gap between the top and the bottom of the league in the faculties categories is still pretty large. Would love to see that come together in the next 5 years.

[BlueBlood]

Good insight kdubnation.

Also, it's important to remember who KWC left in 2011 and who they joined.

KWC left a GLVC that had close-ish schools Bellarmine, USI and St. Joes. They are all gone now and UIndy may be next.

KWC joined a G-MAC that was to be Cedarville, Ursuline, Central State, Notre Dame College, and Urbana. (Notre Dame left and TNU came shortly after KWC announced)

So realistically, the current G-MAC footprint isn't all that different from what KWC originally signed up for. The GLVC footprint is drastically worse than what they left.

[kdubnation]

Especially with the expansion of the GLVC westward with more and more Missouri teams, KWC is an outlier for any conference we potentially could be in, from the G-MAC to GLVC to Gulf South etc. Whatever conference we're in we'd be on a border geographically, so IMO we might as well stay in the G-MAC with the like minded private schools as was the entire concept to begin with. Granted, there may be some reduction in travel with a move back to the GLVC but not so much that it makes sense to leave the G-MAC.

[Uindy18]

The G-MAC is actually in a great spot right now.

You are absolutely right. They are in a much better state that even just a couple of years ago.

As for the "island" schools, I would still love to see a rebirth of the GLIAC with a double down on all the Michigan DIIs (Hillsdale and Northwood included) supplemented with the NAIAs in Michigan (Siena Heights, Concordia-Ann Arbor, Lawrence Tech, and Madonna.) The Chicago area could be a great option to pair with newcomer Roosevelt (Lewis from the GLVC, St. Xavier, etc.)

Essentially, The GMAC should be the Indiana and Ohio Schools, and the GLIAC needs to be the Michigan Schools

KWC ought the be the USI replacement for the GLVC

TNU is the still the definition of a DII island.

[BlueBlood]

BTW - don't read my anti-expansion take above as being a slight against the PSAC privates in any way. I actually think they are a great fit institutionally and they don't stretch the geographic borders too bad either. The G-MAC is actually in a great spot right now. I don't think there is any reason to expand; but if there was - there are a whole lot of G-MAC-like institutions that might pick up the phone and listen.

G-MAC-like schools that are already inside or barely outside the G-MAC footprint:
- All three of the aforementioned PSAC privates,
- UIndy (if they are committed to D2),
- Marion, Indiana Wesleyan, Taylor (all from the IN NAIA conference)
- Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson, Cumberlands (all from the KY NAIA conference Thomas More is coming from)

There are probably others. Truthfully - there are probably enough G-MAC-like schools out there to create a whole second conference (I'll leave that rabbit trail for another time)

Like I said in my earlier post, I think there is an argument that adding more schools right now may be more of a de-stabilizing force than a stabilizing one. However, I'm sure there will be a defection or two at some point.

Things that might cause a shake-up:
- TNU, KWC and Northwood are all on islands. Does island living get so tough that those schools make a change, or does the G-MAC add schools that make it easier for them? TMU is a nice step in this direction, but there is still a big gap.
- I kind of expect more D2 to D1 moves in the future. I think there is a bit of an "expand or die" mentality among smaller schools right now (and probably for good reason). I think there will be more Bellarmines, Queens and LeMoynes. Do any of the G-MAC schools feel the itch?
- Somewhat related - Do any current NAIA's feel like they need to go D2 because "someday" they might want to go D1? (IWU is probably the one that comes to mind first here)

[UFOILERFAN]

NDC is very happy in the MEC(I don't get it either). UIndy has to decide whether or not they are committed to D2 for the long term which is doubtful.

[TheMadLibs]

I think a more likely scenario would be the PSAC losing a few school to consolidation, and then the PSAC pulls a few away from the MEC, namely West Liberty and Fairmont State. I think the future of GMAC membership probably includes Uindy and NDC (they just make too much sense) and KWC and TNU moving on (KWC to GLVC maybe, TNU to GSC or Peach Belt)

Hmm, maybe. PSAC schools HATE that they added in private schools from PA. I'm not talking fans, I'm talking admins. Struggle to believe that they they'd go outside of the state if not to try to first pull in hbcu in east first, but who knows. KWC not being in the glvc will always fk with my head. And yes, UINDY and NDC definitely make more sense. How your hq is in indy but no school is... That's wild man! And agreed, TNU seems likely to bolt shortly to gsc or peach belt. I'd guess gsc first but regardless, cannot comprehend the thrill of trips up to the middle of of Michigan on a d2 budget!

Thanks for entertaining me!

[Uindy18]

Curious if there's any word on further conference expansion in the GMAC. Recently have been thinking about the lower standard of most sports in PSAC as the state school system continues to crater and funding wipes, and wonder if the associate schools you already have better fit the GMAC profile for all sports.

Are there rumors that schools like Hurst, Seton Hill, and Gannon may make a move? Would these programs be of interest in the league. It's wild as a former GLIAC fan to see so many of these programs now in the GMAC. Seems like a lot of natural rivalries that would have better competition than a large part of the PSAC.

I think a more likely scenario would be the PSAC losing a few school to consolidation, and then the PSAC pulls a few away from the MEC, namely West Liberty and Fairmont State. I think the future of GMAC membership probably includes Uindy and NDC (they just make too much sense) and KWC and TNU moving on (KWC to GLVC maybe, TNU to GSC or Peach Belt)

[BlueBlood]

I'm not sure that any further expansion is really needed/valuable (right now). With Thomas More coming in next year, that is 14 schools (14 with women's sports, 13 with men's). 10 play football. The conference sponsors 26 sports. At this point, if you add more schools, it may become more of a de-stabilizing force than a stabilizing one. If UIndy decides to commit to D2 and wants to be G-MAC, sure add one. But overall, 14 seems like a good place to pause.

[TheMadLibs]

Curious if there's any word on further conference expansion in the GMAC. Recently have been thinking about the lower standard of most sports in PSAC as the state school system continues to crater and funding wipes, and wonder if the associate schools you already have better fit the GMAC profile for all sports.

Are there rumors that schools like Hurst, Seton Hill, and Gannon may make a move? Would these programs be of interest in the league. It's wild as a former GLIAC fan to see so many of these programs now in the GMAC. Seems like a lot of natural rivalries that would have better competition than a large part of the PSAC.

[kdubnation]

Ah, well there ya go. Good that they promoted from within instead of doing the whole "national search" thing. Have to think their associate HC will be pretty good in the HC role.

[UFOILERFAN]

Hillsdale MBB Coach Tharp has been promoted to Athletic Director; I wonder who will be their new coach
https://hoopdirt.com/hillsdales-thar...-of-athletics/

https://twitter.com/HCChargers/statu...744231936?s=20

[kdubnation]

Hillsdale MBB Coach Tharp has been promoted to Athletic Director; I wonder who will be their new coach
https://hoopdirt.com/hillsdales-thar...-of-athletics/

[BlueBlood]

It's been a good couple weeks for the conference.

Obviously, a huge congrats to Ashland Womens Basketball for winning the National Championship this weekend. An undefeated season with a trophy at the end is crazy amazing. I caught some of it on CBS Sports Network. The players and coach really represented Ashland well. The state of G-MAC women's basketball seems to be very strong. Next year Thomas More comes into the fold and they were runners up in NAIA this year and NAIA Champs last year.

In addition, I saw the below headlines the past couple weeks:

Wrestling - Tiffin's Donathan is National Champion at 141 lbs.
Swimming- Findlay's Garcia Wins National Championship in 200 Breaststroke
Track and Field - Findlay's Fintel Wins Women's Shot-Put National Championship

Congrats to All !!!

Hopefully I didn't miss anything.